“Every single one of us is good at something. Some of us just give up on what that is before we even discover it. “

=

William Chapman

—- “I told her once i wasn’t good at anything.

She told me survival is a talent. You never need to apologize for how you chose to survive.”

=

Clementine von Radics

—

“To paraphrase someone smarter than me, who still knows nothing, the philosophical task of our age is for each of us to decide what it means to be a successful human being.

I don’t know the answer to that, but I would like to find out.”

=

Ottmer <the futurist>

—

Well. Let me begin by saying, well, being better is better.

Or better said: better is good.

In addition. Being good at something is good.

Those are two basic Life thoughts. Simple thoughts, but kind of important thoughts. Important because they are pervasive throughout civilization, culture, attitudes and certainly drives behavior.

Now. The most basic aspect of this whole thing of people wanting to be really good at something and, I imagine why people want to be passionate about something, is that they have experience with lack of passion. I say that last thought because <here is a Life truth> the reason why we’re not passionate about stuff we’re not really good at is because we aren’t <cannot be> passionate about stuff we suck at.

Here is where it gets a little screwy. Being good at something is a minefield mentally.

Huh? What do you mean <you ask me>??

How many times have you heard some version of the following phrases?

• “Everyone has a special skill!“

• “You just need to practice!“

• “You haven’t tried everything yet!“

• “You better work out what special skill you have and then use it for the rest of your life because if you don’t you’ll live in a dumpster fighting with cats for food!“

That trite advice is fine for people who are good at things, but what if you just suck at everything?

<or at least have sucked at everything you have tried to date>

Well. Here is the good news. It is next to impossible to suck at everything. It is much more likely that “… some of us just give up on what that is before we even discover it.”

As a corollary, in reality, it’s impossible to be good at every single thing you try.

Oh. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you suck. It’s all about perspective and how you define whether you’re good at something. For instance, are you basing how bad you are at something on your own standards or are you comparing yourself to others? If it’s the latter then you need to stop and remind yourself that we are all individuals. You’re not inferior or inept, you’re just different <kind of like snowflakes … okay … maybe not>.

Suffice it to say that insecurities and doubts limit your potential <regardless of whether you suck or are actually good> so if you intend to succeed at something you must first get rid of them.

Ah. But here is the curve ball Life throws at you <or is it a screwball??> — while you are figuring out what you are good at a whole shit load of incompetent assholes around you are trying to convince everyone what they are good at <of which they are actually not good at what they think they are>.

Incompetent people don’t know they are incompetent <in other words … they don’t think they suck>.

——

When asked, most individuals will describe themselves as better-than-average in areas such as leadership, social skills, written expression, or just about anything where the individual has an interest.

This tendency of the average person to believe he or she is better-than-average is known as the “above-average effect,” and it flies in the face of logic … by definition, descriptive statistics says that it is impossible absurdly improbable for a majority of people to be above average.

It follows, therefore, that a large number of the self-described “above average” individuals are in fact below average in those areas, and they are simply unaware of their incompetence.

——-

It seems that the reason for this phenomenon is obvious:

– The more incompetent someone is in a particular area, the less qualified that person is to assess anyone’s skill in that space, including their own.

– When one fails to recognize that he or she has performed poorly, the individual is left assuming that they have performed well.

Anyway. What this means is that the incompetent tend to grossly overestimate their skills and abilities.

—

“He felt he was himself and did not want to be otherwise. He only wanted to be better than he had been before. “

Leo Tolstoy

—

The Department of Psychology at Cornell University made an effort to determine just how profoundly one mistakenly overestimates one’s own skills in relation to one’s actual abilities.

They made the following predictions before the studies:

– Incompetent individuals, compared with their more competent peers, will dramatically overestimate their ability and performance relative to objective criteria.

– Incompetent individuals will suffer from deficient metacognitive skills, in that they will be less able than their more competent peers to recognize competence when they see it–be it their own or anyone else’s.

– Incompetent individuals will be less able than their more competent peers to gain insight into their true level of performance by means of social comparison information. In particular, because of their difficulty recognizing competence in others, incompetent individuals will be unable to use information about the choices and performances of others to form more accurate impressions of their own ability.

Rather than showcase the study and the results let me just say … they were correct in their assumptions.

Look. While I have spent a lot of time talking about incompetence and the incompetent, there is nothing more beautiful than watching competence in action. Especially if they are just good, not great, and have the awareness to build on their good in pursuit of … well … not great … but something better.

—-

“No one is good at everything, but everyone is good at something.”

any after school 1990’s special

—-

“Sucking is the first step to being sorta good at something”

Thorin Klosowski

—

And maybe that is why competence <or being good> is so beautiful to watch … it is the pursuit.

The pursuit? Being good at something mostly means you weren’t as good, or even sucked, at some point. This means the true competent people keep pushing.

Being good at something means no dumb questions, no dumb answers and no low <or stagnant> standards. And that is where I believe the whole concept of ‘being good at something’ should be grounded.

It’s not passion.

And, frankly, it may not even be something that comes easily to you.

It is more about holding yourself to some higher standard.

It is about the desire to keep pushing.

It is about being responsible for not quitting.

—-

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you, never excuse yourself.”

Henry Ward Beecher

—–

In the end. Set aside ‘higher standards’ or ‘accepting you are good at something’ … in the end I respect … well … caring.

Giving a shit.

Or maybe call it … ‘nerdy as fuck about something.’

—-

“I respect people who get nerdy as fuck about something they love.”

Leah Raeder

——-

Caring enough about what you do is a good thing … and it makes you good at something.

It’s not passion.

It’s maybe not any real ability.

It’s just about the fact that you care.

By the way. Getting back to the first quote I used.

This also suggests, on those tough days and tough stretches in Life, simple survival is a talent because it means you care about Life.

Uhm. And that is a good thing to be good at.

Care about Life and never, never, apologize for how you choose to survive.

Ok. I do not believe in New Year’s resolutions <although I do believe in wishing on stars>. But that is me.

Everyone else?

I have heard somewhere in the vicinity of 90% of people in the US make wishes at New Years.

Maybe 75% of those people are drunk and only 39% remember the wishes <that’s about 37% of total population if you didn’t have your abacus>.

Uhm. Hope you didn’t waste your time on the math because it doesn’t mean shit. It doesn’t mean shit because chief wish dispenser, Jiminy Cricket, is no longer with us. This rumor has been with us for years. The demise of Jiminy Cricket has typically attributed to that lying bastard Pinocchio <although Pinocchio himself was caught in a tragic situation where Luigi was snowbound after a freak Italian blizzard and needed some wood to boil water for pasta or starve to death>.

Anyway. Jiminy was thriving and dispensing wishes upon stars (especially busy on New Year’s eves) for many years. Hence the reason so many of you actually did have wishes come true on occasion. Unfortunately, while newspapers seem to miss it, Jiminy quietly passed away several years ago from lingering complications from DDT exposure before it was outlawed as a pesticide. Therefore. If you wished upon a star this New Year’s eve you are screwed.

Sorry. Next year skip the wish and just have another cocktail.

I would note that beyond making wishes come true he was also a spokescricket for Insects International, the group that provides relief to insects that have lost their homes to natural disasters.

In addition, in his last years Jiminy had been doing some volunteer work for the Pentagon in Afghanistan. It is a little known fact but al Qaeda are big wishers on stars and Jiminy was doing his part to provide some wish misdirection.

<note: the Pentagon has no comment>

At one point, after hearing of Jiminy’s loss, Osama Bin Laden was quoted as saying ‘we will now have to create our own falling stars.’

<CIA has not commented on threat status to civilization>

With all that said.

We wish Jiminy the best.

And know, if you wished upon a star this New Year’s Eve, it won’t come true.

“Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than polish.”

―

Anne Bradstreet

==============

……… tweet from Republican National Party on June 14, 2018 ………….

(stepping back to January 2017)

Well.

Yesterday was an interestingly disturbing day to begin “the new era of The United States of America.”

I listened to the Trump inauguration speech with growing horror. It had all the trappings of authoritarianism wrapped snugly in a blanket of patriotism & promises of wealth, security, strength and ‘greatness.’

I listened to it not just as a citizen but as a business guy.

Yeah. Populism can be seen in business just as it can be seen in politics. In business it can be called ‘the cult mentality’ and more often than not its leader is a ‘less-than-benevolent’ dictator. Let’s call it a ‘join, or else’ culture. You can drive membership in this culture a couple of ways … both grounded in fear.

Fear of losing <part 1>.Outsiders are trying to steal what is ours … people who don’t believe in what we believe in are trying to steal what is ours … join us because we are the people who count and matter.

I do not want to lose what is rightfully mine.

Fear of losing <part 2>.I am on the outside looking in and … well … holy shit … if I don’t join I am gonna lose everything <or be branded as a non joiner>.

I will join because if I don’t I am up shit creek without a paddle and lose what I have.

Businesses try this shit all the time. It is their way of building a strong culture, claiming it is inclusive, albeit inclusive is grounded by ‘a tight set of club rules.’ They will argue it is not a tight set but rather a basic construct which binds people in a good way … you call it tomato and I call it rotten. This Trump version of populism is, well, it goes beyond corporate cult culture. This version is close to being batshit crazy dangerous thought leadership.

Let’s look at the brochure and talk a minute with the Trump Club recruiter.

The cover of the brochure suggests an unstoppable America, driven solely by self-interest, in other words, our Club wins at all costs at the expense of anyone who stands in our way! <“if you want to win, join us” it says …>.

It further reads with threatening all those who might stand in the way of this Club and it’s winning/great objective. It contains an adamant stance of ‘no real choice’, i.e., a demanded unity not an asked for unity.

Yeah.

Some of the club benefits look awful good in the brochure … more & better jobs, stronger economy, stronger security, less business regulations and country pride. And then I turn over the brochure just to check out the legalese, the cost of the benefits as it were, to explore how the promises of the Club will be delivered.

The headline on the back of the brochure really wanted me to join this club … the message of “join today because today is the day the people become the rulers of this country.” I vaguely remember that being the call of the French Revolution but it sounds cool <although I could swear we, the people, have been voting in people as representatives for awhile>.

But. Whew. It sounds good. I like it.

It feels empowering and inspirational with the added comfort that I will no longer be one of “the forgotten people which will be forgotten no longer.” I know for sure that would like to not be forgotten and being part of a club would be nice and … well … gosh … uhm … now that I think about it … I didn’t know I had been forgotten.

The recruiter leans forward and says “of course you were, the intellectual globalist elite in Washington and around the world have been keeping you down … they don’t care about you … they have forgotten that it was you that made them part of the wealthy elite.”

Ok. But didn’t your Club President build his wealth off the backs of ‘forgotten people’ and … well … it seems like they aren’t any better off but he is a shitload better off, doesn’t it?

Oh … no, no, no … he appreciates everything they have done for him. Hey. And don’t you want to be wealthy too?

I look down at the brochure and I see the bolded ‘make wealthy’ words and have to ask the club recruiter, decked out in an ‘America first’ hat and neatly pressed ‘make America great’ uniform like shirt, I ask the recruiter … “this becoming wealthy thing … its sounds an awful lot like Amway.”

Oh, no, it is nothing like that at all. Our Club will make everything great for everyone and you will have great opportunities to get the wealth you have always deserved, but haven’t got, because the lazy, less than hard working elite will not get it anymore … we will make sure you get your fair share. Hey. Look at this picture of the Club President in his office … check out the gold curtains … the gold rug and the gold fixtures … that is wealth. That is what you can be part of!

Oh.

And, look, if you join today you get a hat <which you should wear as often as possible so that we can tell who is in the club and who isn’t>.

And, even better, we should have some additional pieces of apparel you can wear soon. In fact … we will have special uniforms & badges for the original club members to showcase their elite status in the club … everyone will want to wear them.

Ok. One last question … your club is “God’s chosen.” I didn’t know God chose … I thought he was all about equal among all men. Does this mean that other clubs don’t believe in God or does God just favor us? And does this mean I have to believe in your version of God and … well … what exactly is your version of God?

“Oh.

Well.

We are a Christian based club … but of course we accept anyone. But don’t forget … Christianity, above all, outlines all the values which lead to a better version of yourself … and, well, that is what we want all Club members to be able to achieve. Everyone should have values, don’t you think?”

Whew. This is fucking crazy shit going on

To be clear. A shitload of the club leaders and followers are going to try and draw some false comparisons and equivalents to past American heroes.

To be clear. This is significantly different than Thomas Jefferson’s plea for unity in his inaugural address in 1800 — “every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.”

The Trump club has one principle and one opinion.

There is no room for anything else. More important than color of skin, religion, gender … this may actually be my root concern with ‘the club’.

The main principle?

Believe what I believe … or you are not a true believer.

That kind of seems to be the club. Kind of an “us versus them” attitude … uhm … although us <being a US citizen> is actually also them <being US citizens>.

“Oh no … no … why wouldn’t you believe in the United States of America if you lived in there? … everyone believes that. And if they don’t? … well … they should.”

Anyway. Oh. One last question. I didn’t hear it anywhere from the Club President or see it in the brochure … do you guys have a constitution?

Oh, we don’t need one. We just demand a ‘total allegiance to the Club’ … oh … which believes the same things as the country wants … so you should be all for it.”

(ME) Gosh. I am not sure I can join this club … I already have a constitution I live by … and my allegiance is, first & foremost, to that and not some Club and how they think. <period … end of statement>

Look. The one thing Trump was 100% right on is that January 20, 2017 was the dawn of a new era.

“Now comes the hour of action.”

That was the call for the Trump Club. “Join or else”is what should be heard.

Just to be clear.

I am a believer in God <however you want to define it>.

I am a patriot <however you want to define it>.

I am a proud American <however you want to define it>.

But I am not joining the club called “Trump America.”

In fact … I say ‘fuck you and your fucking club.’

As for what I will do? …………….

===============

“I was not born to be forced. I will breathe after my own fashion. Let us see who is the strongest.”

(He who is silent, when he ought to have spoken and was able to, is taken to agree)

—

Latin saying

======

Here is a poser of a question for everyone.

…. “Do you need some qualification to have a valid perspective on what is right versus what is wrong? … and, maybe more importantly, is there some qualification which disqualifies you from having a valid perspective on what is right versus what is wrong?”

Well.

Where am I going with this?

I have some friends who are adamantly opposed to anything any celebrity says.

They will disregard their words <no matter what they say> as some out-of-touch person spouting some out-of-touch liberal ramblings.

They believe their livelihood disqualifies them from speaking out on things.

And they are not the only ones.

All you have to do is scan the comments under any online article discussing any celebrity – the section will be strewn with “why listen to anything they say” or “Hollyweird blathering” or “out-of-touch rich elite.”

Ok.

It all seems kind of nuts to me.

And slightly stupid to sweepingly disregard anything that … well … anyone says.

But.

I am the guy who would sit down with Willie, the guy who delivered the mail at one my past jobs, because I not only was interested in what he thought and said … but actually wondered if he were smarter than maybe half the people I worked with in the office <plus … he was a great guy>.

But.

I am the guy who sat down with a famous musician, one of those creative out-of-touch liberal types, because I was not only interested in what they had to think and say … but actually thought the fact they had duked it out bar gig after bar gig before they made the bigger bucks kind of made them a little more enlightened than half the people I knew.

I am the guy who … well … it would seem to me that the only qualification one needs is to have a ‘well used brain’ with which well-articulated words come forth.

So, no, I don’t disregard what celebrities say.

Now.

That doesn’t mean I don’t have my own opinions or that any celebrity shapes my thinking or that I can think that some of them are really out-of-touch with reality … but … I care about what anyone says.

I care because most people who have had a different life experiences than I <and celebrities certainly qualify in that category> and I like to try to put myself in their shoes and see shit like they do.

And, you know what? A shitload of people have a shitload of good thoughts <and this includes celebrities>.

But getting back to my opening question and how I am supposed to judge qualifications before listening to someone.

Suggesting Ben Affleck and Shia Labeouf/Kim Kardasian’s words & thoughts should be considered equally is … well … absurd.

To think that Nicki Minaj, Dave Grohl, Billie Jo Armstrong or Selena Gomez can’t say smart, thoughtful, insightful things about issues that should matter to us because Kanye West or Justin Bieber act like immature incoherent asshats is … well … absurd.

To think that any celebrity cannot have some meaningful thought to share is … well … absurd.

All of this kind of hit me this morning as I scanned headlines to read that Meryl Streep had slammed Trump in some speech at one of those stupid Hollywood awards things. And that, of course, she had said something that Trump felt compelled to tweet in response that she was ‘overrated.’

<which reminded me of one of my favorite Onion headlines: “Court Rules Meryl Streep Unable To Be Tried By Jury As She Has No Peers” on December 3, 2011>

First of all … she didn’t ‘slam’ Trump … she simply made a valid point for all people in mentor & leadership positions … she just made Trump the example for everyone to think about.

Second of all … Trump is an asshat for not only in his thin-skinned attitude to drive a response to any criticism … but also his inappropriate responding to someone in a non-equal power position in a diminishing way as well as also for suggesting Streep as being overrated <which 97.2% of people would recognize as just being a stupid nontruth>.

Third of all … while maybe her comments were directed at Trump … every leader, every public figure, and certainly everyone in congress who claims to represent people should have paid particular attention to one thought:

“This instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everyone’s life because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing.

—-

“Disrespect invites disrespect, violence invites violence. When the powerful use their position to bully others we all lose.”

Fourth of all … suggesting Meryl Streep only represents a small slice of America, especially said by anyone who has a brain, is absurdly simplistic vapid thinking. If you listen to her words, they represent an idea that IS America:

When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.

And.

Disrespect invites disrespect, i.e., when a leader disrespects any of their followers, diminishes the thoughts & words of any one citizen, employee or individual … that invites disrespect in return.

I have written about this before <but I am not as famous as Meryl nor am I as articulate>.

What our leaders do and say and how they act toward each other as well as toward others sets an example for people. Their followers <believers> will parrot aspects and children will start thinking it is the right way to behave — all the time.

Sure.

The public figures may argue … “oh, that was situational … I was simply trying to make a point and share a belief.”

Well.

It doesn’t work that way.

Many times the everyday schmuck, like me, cannot see the entire context … I only view the example and the point made.

And while I may choose to follow one example and dismiss another … everyone will judge their ‘follow or dismiss’ on their own. That means the ‘situational’, the one tweet suggesting someone is dishonest or overrated, or the hyperbole-driven unequivocal stance on some issue … becomes the behavioral example for a shitload of people.

That said.

What I do know is that disrespect invites disrespect and when the powerful use their position to bully … a shitload of people start thinking that is the way to actually become powerful & a leader.

Which leads me back to the thought that hearing something from someone like Streep and thinking that having an opinion that doesn’t agree with yours is simply the rantings of some ‘self-important’ person is … well … absurd.

Frankly, it implies your own opinions are so weak and shallow that they can’t withstand some well-articulated opinion or thought or criticism <even from some ‘overrated, out-of-touch’ celebrity>.

Regardless.

Al that absurdity aside … I have a bigger concern with disregarding good thoughts & opinions <no matter who they come from>.

I imagine part of my personal concern is … well twofold:

The first is exactly what Streep said … disrespect begets disrespect.

Let’s call this ‘Role modeling.’

I want all adults to be role models for children. I know I pay particular attention to my own words & behavior if I believe a young person will see or hear.

And maybe I do so, and expect other leaders to do so, because I expect role modeling to incorporate showcasing “how you win matters.”

And maybe it is because I expect role modelling to incorporate showcasing “winning without diminishing.”

I believe role models pave the way for showing that getting shit done matters, winning can matter … but how you do the shit and how you get the win is what matters the most.

Do I believe a role model can be clever or crafty with regard to getting that they want done? Sure.

But it shouldn’t come at the expense of the dignity of the win itself or respect for the adversary and situation.

Therefore, while I abhor someone in a power position disrespecting the employee, or the citizen, as an individual I even more abhor disrespecting how the game is played, how the win is achieved or how the discourse is managed.

The second is global perspective.

Like it or not … people in other countries have a variety of perceptions with regard to the United States.

That said.

To many people in other countries Donald Trump will become America … and either embody some negative beliefs, perceptions or attitudes or create some beliefs, perceptions and attitude.

If I win acting like all those things that I suggested Trump will characterize … that is how my ‘win’ and ‘greatness’ will be defined.

How you win … how you are ‘great‘ … matters.

All that said.

Global perspective.

I certainly cannot generalize an entire population but when America voted for this self-obsessed idiot it plays into what Green Day called “the American Idiot” image that many people globally WANT to think America is.

At some point I want my leader to less exhibit idiot behavior and more leader behavior.

Ok.

Going back to my main question.

Not only what qualifications does someone have to have to have a valid perspective ? … but what qualifications does someone have to have to be listened to?

And … what qualifications disqualify someone from being listened to?

I don’t know Meryl Streep personally nor do I really know anything about the woman nor do I have an opinion on her acting skills.

I really can only judge her by her words and her actions.

I would imagine that is what we should do with all people.

On that point I would also note she said in her short speech … “Tommy Lee Jones said to me, isn’t it such a privilege, Meryl, just to be an actor? …Yeah, it is. And we have to remind each other of the privilege and the responsibility of the act of empathy.”

I am fine with listening to her even moreso when I hear her say things like that.

But.

And this is a big but.

I didn’t need that.

I can, and will, listen to anyone. I figure even while I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer I am certainly smart enough to discern if someone is saying something useful or not and form my own opinions & thoughts & beliefs.

And I say all of that because … well … on the off chance someone, even a celebrity, can inform my opinions, thoughts & beliefs … you can damn well be sure I am gonna be listening.

Look.

Ignore who says the words and think about the words. If they make sense, then maybe the person is making sense. I do not need to see someone’s qualifications to listen nor am I willing to disqualify someone’s opinions & thoughts because of their ‘qualifications’ or what they do for a living.

But, hey, that’s me.

the full transcript of Streep’s speech:

Thank you, Hollywood foreign press. Just to pick up on what Hugh Laurie said. You and all of us in this room, really, belong to the most vilified segments in American society right now. Think about it. Hollywood, foreigners, and the press. But who are we? And, you know, what is Hollywood anyway? It’s just a bunch of people from other places.

I was born and raised and created in the public schools of New Jersey. Viola [Davis] was born in a sharecropper’s cabin in South Carolina, and grew up in Central falls, Rhode Island. Sarah Paulson was raised by a single mom in Brooklyn. Sarah Jessica Parker was one of seven or eight kids from Ohio. Amy Adams was born in Italy. Natalie Portman was born in Jerusalem. Where are their birth certificates? And the beautiful Ruth Negga was born in Ethiopia, raised in ― no, in Ireland, I do believe. And she’s here nominated for playing a small town girl from Virginia. Ryan Gosling, like all the nicest people, is Canadian. And Dev Patel was born in Kenya, raised in London, is here for playing an Indian raised in Tasmania.

Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners. If you kick ‘em all out, you’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts. They gave me three seconds to say this. An actor’s only job is to enter the lives of people who are different from us and let you feel what that feels like. And there were many, many, many powerful performances this year that did exactly that, breathtaking, passionate work.

There was one performance this year that stunned me. It sank its hooks in my heart. Not because it was good. There was nothing good about it. But it was effective and it did its job. It made its intended audience laugh and show their teeth. It was that moment when the person asking to sit in the most respected seat in our country imitated a disabled reporter, someone he outranked in privilege, power, and the capacity to fight back. It kind of broke my heart when I saw it. I still can’t get it out of my head because it wasn’t in a movie. It was real life.

And this instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everybody’s life, because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing. Disrespect invites disrespect. Violence incites violence. When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose.

This brings me to the press. We need the principled press to hold power to account, to call them on the carpet for every outrage. That’s why our founders enshrined the press and its freedoms in our constitution. So I only ask the famously well-heeled Hollywood Foreign Press and all of us in our community to join me in supporting the committee to protect journalists. Because we’re going to need them going forward. And they’ll need us to safeguard the truth.

One more thing. Once when I was standing around on the set one day whining about something, we were going to work through supper, or the long hours or whatever, Tommy Lee Jones said to me, isn’t it such a privilege, Meryl, just to be an actor. Yeah, it is. And we have to remind each other of the privilege and the responsibility of the act of empathy. We should all be very proud of the work Hollywood honors here tonight.

“In my opinion, we don’t devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks.”

================

Well.

I am not sure there is anything worse a person can do in my eyes than to embrace purposeful ignorance. I may actually believe it is worse than lying.

Technically, purposeful ignorance occurs when a person knows the truth but chooses to ignore it, or the person refuses to abandon false beliefs and pursue the development of further knowledge.

According to the Urban Dictionary willful ignorance is: “the practice or act of intentional and blatant avoidance, disregard or disagreement with facts, empirical evidence and well-founded arguments because they oppose or contradict your own existing personal beliefs.”

But, to me, there are three levels of purposeful ignorance:

accepted ignorance: I have an attitude, perception or belief and I go about my life doing nothing to engage my thinking and expand what I know <unlearning avoidance is what I call this>

confirmed ignorance: with the intent to show everyone that I am not ignorant I actually proactively engage in news & opinion offerors … uhm … but I only do so with those who have the same attitudes, perceptions and beliefs that I do <learning how to better articulate what I already think is what I call this>.

ignorant ignorance: I actively engage with people who have different views and maybe even have some discussions and give the impression I am open minded … but even while nodding my head sagely I am simply building additional walls around what I already believe and think <listening without listening is what I call this>

The last of those three is the most heinous type of ignorance. You actually have the opportunity to learn and you choose to not learn diddleysquat.

It is heinous to me because there are gobs of well-intended people who are smart but just don’t actively engage in learning new shit because … well … they got shit to do.

Do I like that they are unengaged in learning & unlearning? No.

Can I see how it could happen? Yes.

In addition … almost every single one of us have moments of purposeful ignorance.

At its worst it is a conscious choice to be ignorant rather than challenge themselves and acknowledge a truth about reality.

At its best we have simply bucketed some things in our minds as ‘decided’ in order to short cut some things and invest energy in others <and we all do the this>.

To be clear on this issue.

The reason I think people who do the third type of purposeful ignorance should be strapped to some pole and whipped is because they are consciously & actively being ignorant while most of us accept our ignorance because we admittedly like to think we understand things and we certainly understand that challenging what we already believe is difficult.

For most of us challenging what we believe is difficult because it means admitting that beliefs are subject to change and some could actually be wrong … and … well … we feel much more comfortable thinking that some things are just etched in stone.

This is not denial this is simply avoidance.

And we all do it on occasion.

But we also do not go through the motions of publicly showcasing that we are actively listening to try and challenge our beliefs.

We accept them and observe them and articulate them.

That’s it.

And maybe this is simple laziness in not wanting to have to do the work to rethink opinions & beliefs and unlearning shit we thought we knew and then having to explain why we change dour minds and … well … you get it.

Our closemindedness is mostly driven by avoidance <purposeful or not>.

And I even give some people a break on this topic.

Psychological research tells us that some people are cognitively complex while others prefer cognitive simplicity, in other words, some people are open to experience while other are closed minded.

Some people are cognitively flexible while others are cognitively rigid.

I could suggest that those who are cognitively simple, closed minded and/or rigid are much more likely to engage in the ‘accepted ignorance’ level of purposeful ignorance that I noted earlier.

These are not stupid people by any stretch of the imagination and they most certainly have the ability to be ‘smart’ <or broader in thinking> … they are simply people who would rather be comfortably ignorant rather than ‘intellectually smart’.

In addition … Urban Dictionary suggests that some people are “cognitive misers“, i.e., they do not to examine things intellectually if they don’t feel they have to.

And another valid reason is … well … conformity. While this sounds ‘sheeplike’ it is not always. We all engage in some aspects of conformity because it helps us not only fit in but provide us with some daily stability which permits us to engage our energy elsewhere. That is why a shitload of people tend to believe what those around them believe because questioning those beliefs would lead to conflict, possibly rejection and … well … energy investment.

And, look, there are some nice benefits to conforming.

Conformists have the greater potential to find a mate, or mates, to climb the social ladder of “success,” to have others speak well of them and to enjoy the benefits of a social support system.

And, with all that said, you know what? I can live with that.

As much as a curious, always seeking truth, person like me finds purposeful ignorance to be an egregious & utter lack of responsibility to living Life to its fullest and being engaged in Life … in general … I accept that there are some acceptable versions of purposeful ignorance <and, yet, I will do anything I can to break thru to these people and engage in some thoughtful thinking>.

I absolutely believe that learning and unlearning, is a lifelong process and ultimately leads to a fuller, richer Life. I will participate in learning/unlearning through my own discussions and I will engage with anyone, anywhere, on any topic, at any time.

I understand that deeply ingrained purposeful ignorance is incredibly difficult to change but I also never, ever, underestimate people’s capacity for change.

I will continue to be interested in the views of others, even where I disagree with them, and I will always be interested in understanding why others act and think in the way that they do.

I believe the importance of this type of relevant knowledge mainly resides in the ultimate negotiation of ‘what will be.’ in other words … how we, as people, achieve the best possible outcomes.

And that is why I will end here.

My third level of purposeful ignorance, “Ignorant ignorance”, is evil.

And it takes an evil person to consciously commit it.

I cannot even attempt to understand how someone could fuck with learning & unlearning in such a purposeful manner. Faking learning, or an interest in learning … or faking sincere curiosity … is maybe the most heinous act one could commit.

They are jerks. And, unfortunately, we have no scientific research for a cure for jerks.

Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.

Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.

—-

John F. Kennedy

==========

Whew. Finally.

The last 2016 American election presidential debate. No more World Wrestling Foundation political events.

While I will say a couple things let me begin with the most important thing everyone should pay attention to with regard to the third debate — the close.

Anyone in business knows that how you close a big meeting is, well, YUGE <as Bernie Sanders would say>.

=========

Their closing statements summed it all up for me: Clinton’s was a message of hope and unification, Trump couldn’t help himself and ended on a pointless attack. Never has a candidate proven himself so utterly childlike – it’s entertaining but profoundly disturbing that he’s actually managed to make it this far.

Djozer

===============

Closing statements create the foundation for vision and attitude which ultimate blends into the behavior you should expect. Just as in what they decided to wear … I received optimism and togetherness from the lady in white and dark, despair and divide from the man in black.

I couldn’t think of better symbolism for the choice at hand.

As for the debate itself? While exhibiting moments of actual leadership lucidity, Trump continuously reverts back to some tween like persona given half a chance.

Alternative universe moments:

<1>:

“Look, she’s been proven to be a liar in so many ways,” Trump pouted.

“This is just another lie.”

<when, in fact, she spoke his own words back to him>

Parallel universe?

This after he had run thru a continuous string of lies <or ¼ truths> that fact checkers just gave up and suggested he could do nothing but lie.

<2>:

“Such a nasty woman.”

Parallel universe?

Uhm … hard to reconcile Trump’s remark with a claim he made earlier the night that “no one has more respect for women than I do.”

<3>:

“<insert anything he says here>”

Parallel universe?

Anything his surrogates say trying to explain what he said.

<note: if you are actually paying people to tell people what you really said and what you really meant you do not belong in that job>

Next.

To me the funniest moment was ‘You’re The Puppet!’ <a moment that had every small child gleefully clapping>

Background: Trump just lost his temper when Clinton suggested Russian president Vladimir Putin would like to see Trump in office “because he’d rather have a puppet as president.”

“No puppet, no puppet!” Trump interjected.

Clinton continued, “It’s pretty clear you won’t admit…”

“You’re the puppet!” Trump shouted.

“That the Russians have engaged in cyber attacks …”

“No, you’re the puppet!” Trump said again.

“Against the United States of America,” Clinton concluded.

You just cannot make this shit up. This is comedic genius <albeit part of a presidential debate>.

Next.

To me the most horrifying moment <of which there were several candidates for this slot> was the late term abortion discussion moment where Trump gave a horrifying description of ripping full-term babies from the womb <several times … it seemed like he liked saying it>.

Sigh.

I don’t care if you are pro-life or not … Trump’s foul and incorrect depiction of later term abortion was … well … horrifying.

Look.

Debates are debates and politics is messy. I don’t really care <assuming we actually get to hear the truth on occasion and ‘communication malpractice’ is kept to a minimum>. But words really do matter. Despite Trump’s seeming disdain for not only using adult words and acting like an adult when he speaks what he says is heard by millions and, whether they agree with him or not, those same millions at least ponder them as some semi credible thought <because, for god’s sake, he is the nominee of one of the 2 parties>.

We have heard him diminish people, groups of people and religions of people, we have heard him call Clinton much worse than a “nasty woman”, we have heard him espouse a creative array of conspiracy theories <presented as fact> and we have heard him offer a safe haven for the rage of anyone who believes America is not the America that they want.

I cannot envision how Trump can win. America just seems too good for him. But in his ignorant bull in a china shop leadership style he has inserted an insidious thread of “un-American thoughts” under the guise of “what makes America great” which actually threatens the foundation of the republic.

He is a false prophet to people who have real grievances.

It creates a challenge for the Clinton presidency. But a challenge worth taking on.

She will have to ignore Trump and listen to these people.

While I believe she will be a good president and will offer the country some good pragmatic actionable ideas I believe her presidency will ultimately be defined by how well she listens to what she referred to as “the deplorables” and invests in their lives enough so that they no longer act in deplorable ways. And, maybe mos importantly, she invests in words & thoughts to fill the spaces in people’s minds with good & ‘right’ thoughts.

Regardless.

Thank god the debates are over.

ADDENDUM:

Speaking of closings … last evening was a charity event in which both Trump & Clinton light hearted jabbed at themselves and each other. Some jabs were good and some feel flat.

I don’t care. It was a charity event.

However. Clinton chose to close her lighthearted comments by shifting into a more serious presidential-like message.

I will admit. Most times her speaking is too measured and too earnest for my tastes.

But. She has what I call “a presidential gear.” She shifts gears. She looks slightly more focused and her voice drops down and flattens her vowels and rounds out her consonants.

And when she does that and has the right words? Yowza. And she chose to do so at the close of this dinner and hit a frickin’ grand slam home run.

It was a fabulous message for a fabulous country working through a fabulously difficult time. I cannot find all the words online but she reminded the audience that the namesake of the dinner, Al Smith, faced prejudice for being Catholic and that many of the dinner’s attendees were immigrants or children of immigrants and said:

“There is nothing funny about the stakes in this election. In the end, what makes this dinner important are not the jokes we tell, but the legacy we carry forward. It is often easy to forget how far this country has come, and there are a lot of people in this room tonight who themselves, or their parents or grandparents, came here as immigrants, made a life for yourselves, took advantage of the American dream and the greatest system that has ever been created in the history of world.

Divisive rhetoric makes it harder for us to see each other and listen to each other, and certainly a lot harder to love our neighbor as ourselves.”

Would there were a festival for my fears, a ritual burning of what is coward in me, what is lost in me.

Let the light in before it is too late. “

—

Jeanette Winterson from “The Green Man”

===================

“There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.”

–

Andre Gide

=================

Ok.

There is no such thing as fearless and a fearless person is a … well … lie.

Oh.

Maybe there is with those badass guys who do special forces and know mental voodoo which enables to kick the shit out of people and not die.

But for most of us schmucks?

We all have some fear about something. And we are lying if we do not admit that. Now. It is quite possible we hesitate to embrace this thought because … uhm … it implies we have some coward within us.

Wow.

That sounds shitty.

Who the hell wants to ever say that about themselves? <answer: no one>

But maybe what helps us get over that cowardly angst is the recognition that it is actually fear of fear which probably causes more problems in our lives than fear itself.

That said.

I am not suggesting that makes it any easier in practicality just that maybe recognizing a monster is half the battle to killing a monster.

Anyway.

………… brainsnacks 5 fears we all have ………..

Some smart psychologist at Brainsnacks suggests there are 5 basic fears that everyone has:

—

Fear of failure? Read it as fear of ego-death.

Fear of rejection? That’s fear of separation, and probably also fear of ego-death.

The terror many people have at the idea of having to speak in public is basically fear of ego-death.

Fear of intimacy, or “fear of commitment,” is basically fear of losing one’s autonomy.

Shame and guilt express the fear of—or the actual condition of—separation and even ego-death. The same is true for embarrassment and humiliation.

—

I thought that was interesting but most of us think about fear in our own ways, read books on how to deal with it and we either figure it out or we don’t.

And honestly … some do and some don’t.

I will suggest that facing fear is probably the biggest impediment to success <even beyond poverty, existing circumstances, etc.>.

We often give our fears far too much power by believing they are bigger than they really are.

Look.

I am not suggesting that fear doesn’t exist I am simply suggesting we often permit fear to take on superhuman powers and intergalactic sizes in our minds.

If you agree with that thought then it appears seeking to be successful may mean not actually eliminating fear … but simply making it into bite sized portions more easily swallowed.

Or maybe … would there were a festival for my fears, a ritual burning of what is coward in me.

Regardless.

Choose however you elect to deal with fear. But choose.

Because you don’t choose at your own peril <what I fear is quietly killing me >.

Here’s the deal.

All people fear failure.

Everyone.

And anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

There is no such thing as a fearless person.

It’s just that some people set it aside and go forth striving to seek something that lies somewhere beyond the fear.

Across the chasm as it were.

The French call this “l’appel du vide” in French< compulsion to jump from high places or “the call of the void”>. But the truth is that ‘some’ does not equal ‘most.’ Not many people are truly tempted to jump from the edge into a void.

Most of us just talk about it <and we like talking about it>. But most do not do it. Not because they aren’t tempted by the challenge but rather because they fear what comes from stepping out into the void.

Do most people mind being challenged <attempting to do that which they have not done>?

Absolutely not.

The majority of people do like meeting challenges and that satisfaction which comes from meeting the challenge. I believe it is because you have not only ‘bested’ the challenge but you have also ‘bested’ the fear you couldn’t meet the challenge <even if it was only an inkling of fear>.

So there is certainly a level of personal satisfaction of ‘dealing with fear” … or maybe better said ‘facing the unknown’ that all people like.

However.

What about that ‘good fear.’

That big fear.

Stepping into the unknown fear?

Ok.

Remember.

Fear is defined as the emotional response to an actual or perceived threat of immediate or imminent danger or pain <or some derivative of the five I listed above>.

The capacity to experience fear is part of human nature that has been hard-wired into us.

Hardwired or not … the ‘big fear’ <whatever our personal fear monster may be> is debilitating to most people. It is a fact that a large number of people suffer the often debilitating impacts of fear and anxiety. They suffer a sense of being overwhelmed and helplessness leading to an inability to take action or make changes.

Interestingly I believe we tend to tie bravery and courage with being able to overcome that helplessness brought on by fear.

Well.

I don’t think that’s right.

In most cases it is more about having the ability to see <or conceptualize> what is somewhere across the chasm and using that as the focal point to step toward.

More often it is the ability to see the fear as … well … fear of fear and nothing more than that.

Regardless.

That’s not courage … that is simply focusing on what is important. Or, let’s say, an ability to focus.

I guess I find some support in my belief in that most individuals we look to as brave or courageous people openly admit that they were not free of fear when they faced the unknown <death or simply stepping into the unknown>.

They simply kept going with their plan of action, in spite of feeling scared, because they were generally resolute in their decisions, knew the risks attached to what they were doing and in many cases believed that their actions served a larger cause for a greater good.

People like that don’t lessen the fear … they simply accept it.

Patton once said this about equating bravery with a lack of fear:

“If we take the generally accepted definition of bravery as a quality which knows no fear, I have never seen a brave man. All men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are frightened.”

Anyway.

Fear is a real issue. As real as poverty, lack of education or some disease.

It is a real issue because, simplistically, the inability to overcome fear translates into a lower quality of life.

No shit.

Quality of life <and, me being me, I have some proof to back this up>.

And according to a psychologist quoted in a 2009 Psychology Today … “the inaction that stems from excessive, irrational fears or fear-based thinking often shows up as a decision to live life from a “safe” position and not take risks, even if that means forsaking opportunities that might provide greater joy and expansiveness to one’s life.”

No shit.

I tend to believe we lla sense that fear holds us back but also have a tendency to shrug our shoulders and say “if it were meant to be I would have done that something” as a justification for not facing our fear.

Well.

Maybe think about that choice a little harder next time.

The cost is high if you decide to not face your fear.

So.

Circling back to the beginning … people who have overcome fear have learned to focus on what is truly important … they have either faced their monsters or decided that they were less important then what they really wanted.

And I actually believe most successful people have done exactly this … these have faced their inner demons, monsters, and have asked them to come along for the ride instead of hiding from them <or being safe>.

Or.

They have had a festival for my fears, a ritual burning of what is coward in me, and found what is lost in me.

We all have fears. Accept it. Do what you have to do. Do what almost all of us do. Push on.

And know this:

85% of what we worry about ends up having a positive or neutral outcome. <research>

“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word.

The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.”

–

Joseph Conrad

====

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

–

Ralph Waldo Emerson

====

Well.

With an election going on all you have to do is turn on the television or go to any news website and you will see someone giving a speech. Great oration is a skill … almost an art. Some people are naturals. More people are not.

But.

Having given some presentations in my lifetime, as well as provided some training, let me share one of the biggest secrets to presenting … if you have a great speech it is easy to present it.

In business we spend so much time trying to train someone on ‘how to present comfortably’ and ‘tricks’ to connect with an audience that it masks what presenting & speeches have in common with social media – content is the key.

Give me the best speech in the world and the worst presenter can give it.

Conversely … even the best presenter will stumble over the worst speech.

I thought of this as I watched several presidential candidates give a post mortem speech after the Tuesday elections.

I watched Rubio <sadly, yet defiantly, dropping out of the race>, Kasich <touched by a win in his own state>, Clinton <stepping up to the bigger beast in the room – Trump> and … well … the beast himself.

I won’t go into specifics of the four speeches but let me say that Rubio & Clinton must have great speech writers. Poetry and prose mixed with aspirations & hope & pragmatic expectations.

By the way … that is incredibly tough to do in a speech.

Very very few people can write that stuff.

Kasich speeches are easy to write because he has some common themes that come from his core beliefs & values. But suffice it to say that all three of those speeches were about ‘we the people’, what ‘we’ can do together, the spirit at the core of a country, hope for something better … and a dose of caution to not be enticed by the easier road of frustration, fear & hate.

And the only “we” incorporated in were the stupid people who were losers or the enemy peering over the gates like China, Islam & Mexico <who he is gonna punch>.

It was all about his polls, his numbers, and him.

The contrast between speeches is stunning.

Everyone else talks about the people and attitude and spirit … he talks about how popular he is and … well … how stupid everyone is because we are losing too much.

The difference between the words, tone and attitude of the speeches was … well … truly stunning.

Anybody in business who writes presentations and gives speeches knows the Trump speech path is ultimately a dead end. People like to hear confidence & strong leadership but they want to feel participation and connection.

Solutions are always preferred to problems.

Implying people together is always preferred to tearing people apart.

Suffice it to say that without a grander purpose, something beyond an “outcome” objective <like a ‘win’> a speech only leads everyone down a dead end path.

A speech should attempt to find that sweet spot of prose, real facts, anecdote and the commitment to a greater purpose. People deserve to hear the good and it shouldn’t be overwhelmed by any bad.

Trump offers speeches carved on … well … tombstones and not hearts.

===

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones.

A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.”

―

Shannon L. Alder

===

I love words and I love hearing a great speaker give a great speech. While Trump may be one of the most comfortable people I have ever seen behind a podium and a microphone he also may be one of the worst speech writers I have ever heard.

Give me the good, the hopeful, the commitment to a higher purpose any day of the week. And I honestly believe most people want to hear that.

Great speeches, given well, lift people up off of the easy angry, resentful, blame-paved path and let us fly when we don’t even realize we can fly.

Anyway.

I can write an okay speech <I have two posts coming up – one on writing a presentation and one on giving a presentation … as if there aren’t enough “how to” garbage already available online>.

But I am honest enough to know that even on my best day and in my best speech writing moment I may only get a glimpse of what a great speech writer can accomplish.

As I share that thought I remember a nice little scene from West Wing where Toby <the chief communications director> comments on Presidential State of the Union speeches and who can write them. He suggests there are maybe 6 or so in the country that can do so. I will not haggle over the number but suffice it to say he is correct … great speechwriters are few and far between.

This also means the everyday schmuck <think … “you & I”> writes a generally crappy speech <even though we all think it is great>.

I believe I am in the minority in this thinking.

I think many people <more than can actually do it> believe they write great speeches.

Maybe worse for the business world is that I think many businesses believe too many of their own people should, and can, write speeches.

Look.

As a word guy I want to teach & coach everyone to use words well & wisely.

But, in business, it is … well … business.

This is not a popular thought in the current business world view of collaboration & empowerment but I believe businesses should identify their great speechwriters and empower them to write the business speeches.

What this means is that some people end up delivering speeches written by other people.

This freaks a shitload of people out.

I actually believe they get freaked out for two main reasons:

<1> conceptually it fights the internal “I am best at delivering shit in my own words … words I would use”. The key here is ‘conceptually’. Good words are good words and good thoughts are good thoughts. The kind of words you would actually use shouldn’t change the meaning of a great speech or presentation. But we freak out nonetheless … even before we even see the speech

<2> pragmatically most business presentations and speeches are written by crappy writers therefore I do end up freaked out just by looking at what I am being asked to speak. This is beyond the ‘corporate speak’ stench that emanates from every hallway in every business. That is just business crap. a great speech has order and ebbs & flows and seamlessly slides from point to point. Most businesses do not have a shitload of people who can do that.

In business … you almost cannot pay a great speechwriter or great presentation writer enough money. If you have one in your organization you should treat them like gold.

Anyway.

Within a great speech there is often a paragraph or a line that you know is great even as it slips across your lips:

Clinton’s line about Trump … “it doesn’t make him strong … it makes him wrong.”

Kasich’s indirect jab at Trump … “I will not take the low road to the highest office in the land.”

But the greatest of the great speeches cross over into some unseen universe of euphoria. As a listener you listen, hear … and may not remember specifics but you remember how it made you feel.

Nowhere has this been showcased better than on the old television show West Wing.

For example … after a pipe bomb explodes at a university killing 44 people, including three swimmers, the president gives a speech that includes the following:

“… More than any time in recent history, America’s destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedoms and our way of life. We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people’s strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive. Forty-four people were killed a couple of hours ago at Kennison State University; three swimmers from the men’s team were killed and two others are in critical condition; when after having heard the explosion from their practice facility they ran into the fire to help get people out … ran ‘into’ the fire. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight. They’re our students and our teachers and our parents and our friends. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels, but every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we’re reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars. God bless their memory, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.”

Or.

The explanation that the director of communications gives when discussing free trade:

Toby Ziegler:

You want to know the benefits of free trade? Food is cheaper.

Food is cheaper! Clothes are cheaper. Steel is cheaper. Cars are cheaper. Phone service is cheaper. You feel me building a rhythm here? That’s because I’m a speech writer – I know how to make a point.

It lowers prices, it raises income. You see what I did with ‘lowers’ and ‘raises’ there?

It’s called the science of listener attention. We did repetition, we did floating opposites, and now you end with the one that’s not like the others. Ready? Free trade stops wars. Heh, and that’s it. Free trade stops wars! And we figure out a way to fix the rest.

Words really do matter and, possibly even more important, words delivered well really matter. The wrong words and speech can kill the best idea. Back in 2012 I wrote about elections and words used well and made this point.

Regardless.

Speeches are not like stories. Just as presentations are not really stories.

Speeches are all about using words well to lift people from one place to another.

Yes, lift.

Speeches are not meant to lower themselves into the ordinary uncomfortable truths of what we feel. Speeches are meant to recognize the uncomfortable truths and then lift us above it so we can see a horizon where things are better … the comfortable truth that what is will not always be and what will be is better for you, me & everyone – that no one gets left behind.

Bottom line.

A great speech lets us see what will be and not what is. Anyone who writes a speech … and gives a speech … would do well to remember the wise words of Hugh McLeod … “the market for something to believe in is infinite.”

Now we know why. He clicks on Wikipedia or urban dictionary or instagram <scanning an image with some quote or factoid> and then tweets it out or parrots it in on-air interviews.

He has no credible sources … he just makes shit up or maybe even worse … he doesn’t truly think about what he believes.

I know many of my readers do not live in USA … but for those who do … please think about that before you vote.

Ok.

Now ponder this Trump wisdom.

“I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and I’ve said a lot of things. My primary consultant is myself and I have – you know, I have a good instinct for this stuff.”

Well, Donald, that sounds quite reasonable. It’s not as if the world, let alone the Middle East, Ukraine, the South China Sea, is particularly complex or that there are nuanced delicate diplomatic situations or even that it is important to get it right.

I imagine just going on instinct makes sense. Or maybe go on the internet because there you will surely find all the answers you will need.

<note some heavy sarcasm there>

When I read what he said I thought of a Samuel Adams quote:

—-

“If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”

===

Samuel Adams

——

With Trump we are facing a vain man, maybe the vainest of vain, and an aspiring man – one who aspires with no rules, no boundaries, seemingly no moral imperative, or … well … any trivial nuisance that could get in the way of a win.

He appears, alarmingly so, to be free of any actual solutions.

He appears to be free, alarmingly so, of any real policy <beyond his ‘good instincts for this stuff.”

He appears to be free, alarmingly so, to offer frighteningly hollow rhetoric.

He is the ruin … not of the country <we will still be standing despite him> … but he is the ruin of what makes the country great <which is not simply ‘winning’ as he suggests it is>.

In my little corner of the world I will do everything in my power to convince everyone of the sham Trump is and what he offers.

Why?

I will refer to Samuel Adams again <and let everyone who has not spoken out yet think about these words>:

—

“… the necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude, and perseverance. Let us remember that “if we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom.” It is a very serious consideration, which should deeply impress our minds, that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers of the event.”

==

Samuel Adams in The Boston Gazette 14 October 1771

—

Speak out now.

For what we say, and do, today has an impact … an impact that millions yet unborn may be the miserable sharers of the event.

We seek to circumvent the miserableness for the millions yet unborn.

========

Toby Ziegler <West Wing>:

“We don’t know what the next president is going to face. If we choose someone with vision, someone with guts, someone with gravitas, who’s connected to other people’s lives and cares about making them better; if we choose someone to inspire us then we’ll be able to face what comes our way and achieve things we can’t imagine yet.”

In our study of businesses (conducted with the Economist Intelligence Unit), the companies that embraced initiatives and chose to go, go, go to try to gain an edge ended up with lower sales and operating profits than those that paused at key moments to make sure they were on the right track.

What’s more, the firms that “slowed down to speed up” improved their top and bottom lines, averaging 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating profits over a three-year period.”

In business, and Life I imagine, some people are masters in appropriately reading a situation and assessing timely ‘slowing down’ which enables speeding up.

This is a business management skill. An incredible skill. And it is incredibly difficult skill to master.

Slowing down to speed up fights against all the natural business instincts. It is a phrase often tossed around in business but more often discussed and not done.

It is not done because there are natural states in which places and situations are balanced. Balanced by appropriate slowing down and appropriate speeding up.

And then there is a natural oscillation between the two <speeding up & slowing down>. Science has even shown that climate actually slows down preceding abrupt climatic shifts.
Let’s just say that in business slowing down very often becomes high impact high probability events. That the fluctuation between slow to speed increases impact.

We see disaster in the swing <which is actually a pace driven transition> … because we are leaving one natural state and arriving at another.

Let’s face it.

Not many business people are good at undergoing any critical transition let alone a ‘slow down/speed up’ transition.

Why?

Because each aspect in and of itself is a natural state and each begets inertia <at its worst> or chaotic activity <which is close to as bad as inertia>.

Chaotic activity sometimes appears good <it is the semi-appealing ‘we are being busy at being busy’ > but that behavior begets multiple variables which evolve unpredictably and ultimately inhibits critical transitions.

Both states inevitably create what most people see as the unintended consequences in which something can get knocked off balance and become ‘extinct.’ And sometimes the consequences can occur without ever showing signs of critical slowing down.

Consequences occur whether they are intended or unintended. This is a business truth.

This business truth happens because business systems, more often than not, are a bit more complicated in their underlying dynamics than simplistic theory or simplistic diagrams attempting to create structure to an organization and its dynamics with the market & consumers/buyers.

I would suggest that you cannot draw a picture for what is <because it is obsolete as soon as it is drawn> and you cannot draw a picture for what will be <because predicting multi-dimensional dynamics is outside the purview of reality>.

All that said.

That is why you cannot pay enough to a business person who has the ability to know when to slow down to enable effective speeding up.
And, more often than not, the ones who claim to be good at it are not. It is the ones who o not make the claim … the ones who recognize that more often than not it is something you just kind of sense that you treasure.

All I know for sure is that I have been fortunate enough on occasion to have slowed down in business and had everything speed up afterwards. And it feels amazing and the organization & employees, many who balked at the slowing down, absolutely love the freedom that came after the slowing down.

Here is the truly difficult thing about this whole ‘slow down/speed up’ thing.

You know when you get it right.

But you don’t know when you get it wrong or even when you may have missed the opportunity to ‘slow down to speed up.’

And that makes it exponentially more difficult to convince people it is the time to slow down <and the benefit will be speed later> and exponentially more difficult to figure out when to do it <and makes it impossible to train anyone for>.

I hesitate to say it is a ‘gut/instinct’ driven skill because then many people automatically suggest “judgement over experience.”

I would say that this particular business skill is one of those things <1> you either have the instinct or you do not and <2> the instinctual judgement is more often than not driven by at least some experience and <3> experience increases the likelihood, but doesn’t guarantee, of future good use of your instinctual judgement.

Many business people screw the pooch on the entire slow down/speed up idea and also falsely implement it.

The most often abused slow down/speed up tactic is … well … there is a couple.

1. The project meeting in which all projects is discussed by everyone.

This is close to slow down/speed up but not the best kind. This is actually “stop, share, get critique, and go.” More often than not this is simple ‘scrape some barnacles off the bottom of the ship’ type management. Sure. It can help speeding up but incrementally … not exponentially.

2. The ‘kick off meeting.’

This is the infamous … “let’s take a moment and make sure we are all aligned before we getting going.” What a bunch of baloney. Yes. it makes sense to insure everyone is on the same page when getting started <although I would point out that more often than not everyone doesn’t give a shit about the overall objective just their own components objective and timeline>. But this is not true slow/down speed up … this is more about alignment.

Look.

Real slow down/speed up management is midstream management. Where you have some critical learnings and maybe even some momentum. And you purposefully do not have everyone stop … just slow down … assess … kind of like having a fighter squadron get fuel in flight … and then shoot off on the mission.

Real slow down/speed up business management creates exponential dramatic speed increases. Reality shows that these dramatic shifts don’t really happen as part of a business status quo. They are situational, contextual and often do not happen because a business doesn’t have a business person who sees it, senses it or can steer it.
Bad slowing down never creates good, or effective, speeding up. It just slows people down and most often frustrates employees as wasted time.

Good slowing down creates dramatic shifts – in speed and in direction.

And more often than not they are driven by one person who senses a contextual shift in the dynamics within a situation. One person who doesn’t have a picture drawn to adapt against but can draw a picture of what they see & sense from which others can leverage from to generate speed.

Not everyone can do this.

In fact … while most people, in general, suck at make choices … the business people who are really good at making the faster better choices and recognizing when to slow down to speed up are few & far between.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek it … just understand that more often than not you will just slow down <and not speed up>. Critical slowing down is never about slowing down … it is about speeding up your business.